


Opera Night

by Fleur_de_Violette



Series: Whumptober (more like hurt/comfortober-november-december) 2020 [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne Get Along, Mugging, Panic Attacks, Swearing, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:53:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27615826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fleur_de_Violette/pseuds/Fleur_de_Violette
Summary: Bruce didn’t know what was the weirdest. That he asked Jason to go to the Opera with him, or that Jason actually accepted. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe their relationship was getting better. Bruce let his guard down for a second. Let himself believe for a second that things were all right.He shouldn’t have.Whumptober day 28: mugged
Relationships: Cassandra Cain & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne
Series: Whumptober (more like hurt/comfortober-november-december) 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984960
Comments: 8
Kudos: 160





	Opera Night

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, we are well into November. Yes, this whumptober will probably continue until at least January. No, I am not ashamed. Enjoy!

If Bruce wanted to make statements about the situation, that it was _weird_ would be the first one. 

The second one would be that the situation was _awkward._ Understatement.

And finally, and this one was only partially true, that it was all Alfred’s fault. 

Though, he had to admit, he had been the starting plate of this domino play. He was the one who decided to give money to the art and culture in Gotham City. 

Which led to the rehabilitation of an opera. Which led to him being invited for the first representation, with two other people. Which led to him having to choose who to take to the opera with him. 

Now, for some families, the problem might have been that there wasn’t enough place for all the children. That wouldn’t have been a problem for him. He would have gladly buy as much seat as he wanted if more than two people would have wanted to come with him. 

Cass had been an obvious choice. She liked music, she loved dance, and she didn’t have any problem with staying still for a long time. She also wasn’t well known by the Gotham high society beside being Bruce Wayne’s daughter and not a prize to marry thank you very much. That meant that she could go to the opera and actually enjoy the opera instead of being pulled by older people who wanted to be in her good grace. Tim had refused for that reason, not wanting to be around these people anymore than necessary. Dick had looked horrified as the mere idea of being seated for three hours, and Damian had planned a day with Jon. Bruce didn’t have the heart to pull him out of fun farms activities for an opera. Duke actually agreed first, before remembering he had something to do on that day. Steph teased him about a date, and Bruce was curious about the reality of this statement, but Tim reminded him several time that Duke had a private life and wasn’t under obligation to tell Bruce everything. Still. He wanted to know. If only just to make sure Duke was safe. He asked Barbara, but she had planned to attend with her father later in the season. Harper, Cullen and Stephanie were already doing something (which, they assured, wasn’t spying on Duke at all) on that day. Selina actually laughed on his face when he offered her. 

He was at the point where he would ask Lucius if him or one of his children wanted to go to the opera with him, when Alfred intervened. The older man, being known to be the butler of the family, couldn’t attend the representation with Bruce, but he had an idea of who could. Who enjoyed classical pieces, was able to sit still, wasn’t known by Gotham too much, and probably had nothing to do on his Saturday night. 

Bruce didn’t know what was more surreal. That he called Jason to ask him to go to the opera with him and Cass or that Jason actually said yes. 

Which led them to this very uncomfortable, very awkward situation. Sure, his relationship with his second son had improved, but there was a difference between calling him for bat-related business, for a favor, or on behalf of his siblings, and inviting him to go to the opera. Apparently, that was a step they made. 

But maybe he was the only one being awkward. Cass and Jay were talking about the show with enthusiasm, well, Jay was talking and Cass either nodded or hit him in the ribs if she disagreed and chimed in one-word comments here and there. They seemed to enjoy themselves as they were walking back to the car, and, really, Bruce couldn’t ask for more. 

He had seen Jason smile a few times since he came back from death, usually on the too rare parties the kids had in the manor, but every time warmed his heart. 

Yes, their relationship was still shaky. But he got a second chance, and he planned to make things right. It would be a lie to say it was easy. He was bad at people. He didn’t know why he attracted so many around him. Connecting with his kids was hard, reconnecting even harder.

But sometimes, like when he was watching Jason and Cass walking a few steps in front of him, talking and laughing, he let himself believe things would be all right. 

And of course, that was when things went to hell. 

It wasn’t something he was allowed to think. The second he wasn’t thinking of the worse, the worse happened. 

And yes, he said to the voice in his head, surprisingly sounding like Leslie, it was rational.

It was rational because the second he allowed himself to smile, to relax, someone appeared in front of his children. 

“Give me all your money.” 

And this couldn’t be happening. 

_This couldn’t be happening._

They were in a nice part of Gotham, and both Batman and Bruce Wayne had been working frenetically for this to never happen again. 

For this specific situation to never happen. 

“All right, no problem, why don’t you lower the gun for a second.”

“Her necklace.”

Cass started removing her necklace, it wasn’t anything expensive, really, a gift from Tim that he had found pretty. She put it on the ground and Bruce couldn’t move.

He was a child again, watching as his mother refused to give her pearls. He was a child and there was a trigger-happy man ready to shoot his family in front of him. 

And this couldn’t be happening. 

Not again. 

“Why isn’t he moving?” The man asked and Bruce. Couldn’t. Move. 

“All right, pal, let’s just…” 

Afterwards, Bruce wouldn’t know what happened. He just knew that the man walked toward him, that Jason put himself between them and then… 

_Bang._

His father, no, his son had been shot, and soon there would be nothing but a body left of him, and he couldn’t, not again.

There was the body of a man in formal clothes in front of him. No. It was a child with a red and green suit. 

Jason was dead. 

Jason was dead. 

Jason was dead. 

Jason was… 

“Come on, breath, Bruce.” 

…just here. 

Bruce forced himself through a breathing exercise, focalizing on the present back again. 

The man was long gone, his gun abandoned on the floor. Jason and Cass were around him, faces worried.

Bruce’s gaze stayed on the gun. 

“What happened?” 

Jason sighed in what seemed like relief. 

“I shot him in the hand and he ran away.” At Bruce’s look, he added. “Don’t. It was rubber bullets, and you know why I have a gun on me. I had to act, he wouldn’t stop and you were… unresponsive.” 

Bruce closed his eyes. Cass was looking at him with a mixture of fear and understanding. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Jason put a finger in front of his face. 

“Don’t. Can you stand? Let’s get out of here.” 

Bruce looked around him. Was he on the ground? He was. He might have been more out of it than he thought. He nodded nonetheless, letting Cassandra’s hand on his arm guide him all the way to the car. 

They settled on the back seat, and Jason took the wheel.

Bruce looked up, surprised. 

“Are you going back to the manor?” 

Jason made an annoyed noise. 

“Of course I am. I’m not leaving Cass to deal with you. Just how much of an asshole do you think I am?” 

Bruce hummed and let himself be driven to the manor, then to his room. Under the hot spray of his shower he let his mind wonder on how bad it could have been. How worse. He didn’t have to work too hard to figure it out. He gritted his teeth. Let himself breath. Let the water wash the tears on his face. He knew he would repeat the action several times during the night and the next few weeks, when he would revive the scene in his dreams. 

He fully expected to be alone when he stepped out of the shower, but Cass and Jason were lying on his bed, still fully closed with their opera closes. There were t-shirts, sweatpants and toothbrushes on the bed too, so the kids fully intended to have a sleepover in his room. 

“I’m only here to use your fancy shampoo.” Informed Jason as he went to the bathroom.

Bruce sat next to Cass. 

“You don’t have to stay.” 

She shook her head. Took his hand. He sighed. 

“You don’t have to take care of me. I’m supposed to be the one who take care of you, and tonight…”

Her grip tightened. 

“I’m… happy.” She said before shaking her head. “Not happy.” She seemed to think about it for a moment before saying. “I want to. I want to help you.” 

She nested under his arms and he let himself be calmed by the sound of her breath. She was probably willingly making herself loud, so he could hear her. So he could know he wasn’t alone. They stayed like that until the shower sound stopped and Jason emerged, taking her place. 

“Come on Cass. Go wash yourself. Don’t forget to brush your teeth.” 

She stuck her tongue at him, and disappeared with her stuff. Jason stayed next to Bruce in the bed. 

“Are you gonna stay too?” the older man asked. 

Jason made a dramatic noise. 

“You really think I’m an asshole, do you?” 

Before Bruce could answer, he added. 

“Look, there are a lot of things I do while telling you I don’t do it for you. But this. This I’m doing for you. It doesn’t mean I forgive you. This doesn’t mean I agree with you. You’re a bastard. But you’re my father and you’re trying. So when you’re down, let us do this. There is no fucking shame in needing help, so quit with the martyr shit.” 

The talk had been said with more anger and less concern than it granted for. But the concern was there, somewhere, and it warmed Bruce’s heart. He blinked.

“When did you become so wise?” 

Jason snorted. 

“A few weeks ago, in a Wayne Tower elevator, with Tim.” 

Before Bruce could ask is he even wanted to know, Jason cut him. 

“In all seriousness, though. If you want me to wake up Alfred, or call someone, just say so. If we’re not good enough…” 

“You’re good enough.” Said Bruce. The _I’m sorry I ever made you feel otherwise_ went unsaid. 

Jason looked away. 

“Right. Good.” 

The door of the bathroom opened, and Cass stepped in, interrupting them. She went to Bruce’s other side, tossing Jason the remote. 

As his second oldest flicked to the channels, Bruce let his eyes close. 

He let his mouth smile. 

He let himself believe things would be all right.

**Author's Note:**

> I can’t seem to write fics where people don’t end up in a bed at the end… For these who are curious about the elevator story, it’s coming soon (hopefully). 
> 
> Have a nice day !


End file.
